Dec 05
2007
The Benefits of Dawdling: Hawk Sighting
When you dawdle over your morning coffee, you get to see things such as this hawk.
I was just lazily starting my day and had wandered out to sniff the morning air. The little dogs and I were trying to decide if the weather guessers might be right about the snow forecast when this fellow landed on one of my near-leafless Zelkovas, which is just a few feet from the house.
Whooee!! I crept like a little mouse inside to snatch up my camera. It’s not often that one of these fellow pauses in the back yard.
I originally thought it was a Red Shouldered Hawk. Then I thought it was a Cooper’s Hawk because I often hear the call of a Cooper’s Hawk in the spring (one of the few bird calls I recognize) and know they frequent the woods around our home. RuthieJ also suggested it could be a Sharp-Shinned Hawk. I have never heard of Sharp-Shinned Hawks frequenting this area, although they apparently winter as far north as Maryland.
Whatever he is, he seemed particularly interested in the little white dogs, so he lingered to examine them while I did my photo shoot. I didn’t figure that the small hawk would take on a 10 lb. beast like Sarah, the deer hunter. But then you never know, so I stood guard.
It’s days such as today that I value being self-employed and working just steps from my kitchen. (Well, the kitchen part is a blessing and a curse.) I get to see the wildlife in my back yard during the daylight hours. I don’t have to drive in the snow (if, indeed, we get snow). And I have little dogs for company rather than annoying employees.
Really, it’s probably that I’m not fit for human company at this time of day anyway.
